Chapter 1
Heat

Her cheeks are flushed, not just from the radiating sun, but from the radiating love in her heart that has been created from many sweet memories.

Sweat beads roll down her pinched face. She squints while trying to seek out her best friend, Jake, on the runway. The minute she sees him with his buzzed brown hair and his bright blue eyes always matching the gracious skies, she runs full speed. He lets her full momentum take him back because for the first time, in a long time, they’re together. When they embrace she can feel his strong arms surrounding her like they belonged there, and how much they longed for her just like she longed for him. She didn’t want to let go, but she had to because another plane would be landing soon.

No words came to their flushed lips until they were alone. So much needed to be said but so little words could help with what they really needed. The second time they embraced there lips touched and everything melted away like liquid mercury around them. His broad hands intertwined in her hair, and at last he pulled her back so he could see her: her slender but curvy body, her golden brown hair highlighted by the sun and, at last, her full brown eyes. He wondered if one day, when he looked at her, his heart wouldn’t skip a beat. He was glad that it hasn’t yet.

When they got home, Scarlete proposed they go out to dinner. She knew Jake hadn’t had decent food in a long time.

After they got all dressed, they went out. Once they got to La Fa’Angel, Scarlete noticed that Jake was different not just because the twinkle in his eye had disappeared. His whole body wasn’t facing her. His eyes were searching the restaurant like something would pop out. She could see the anxiety on his face so she took his hand within her soft delicate ones. He looked at her so lovingly. Then all of a sudden the plates crashed in the kitchen. His head whipped around and he dropped her hands. She knew that he would be protective, but she didn’t think it would be this bad.

Scarlete said with concern twinkling in her eye, “Let’s go home, I think it would be best if we did. I think we went out too early.” Jake looked at her disappointed,

“If it’s what you want. I know I get overprotective, but I still love you.”

“I love you too.”

The car ride back was silent. The only thing you could hear was the purr of the engine and the faint sound of them breathing in unison. When they were parking in front of their beautiful house, an old western style, out in the country. He broke the silence with what she was dreading to hear. He had to go back this weekend. This was his last year serving with the Marines, but the thought didn’t make the ache in her heart lessen. When they went inside, they went straight to their bedroom.

Scarlete couldn’t sleep so she listened to Jake’s soft snoring. The sound comforted her. She stayed awake thinking he might not come back next time. She’s done this many times before, even when he is there. Eventually the soft snoring lulled her to sleep.

The next morning Scarlete made an extravagant breakfast including bacon, eggs, hash browns, corn beef hash, and of course toast. When they sat down to eat, Jake scarcely touched his food. Again they sat in silence. She was disappointed that he wasn’t eating, but at least he was trying.

Later she finally came out with what was driving her crazy, “What happened? You walk around like a zombie. I feel lost just looking at you.” Tears of anger and fear brimmed over her long dark eyelashes. He thought even when she cries she looks endearingly beautiful. Her quite sob brought him back to the present. Then a whisper left his lips. “I’m not the same. Looking at all those faces kills me but strengthens me. I don’t feel it when I kill anymore. I wish this didn’t affect you as much as it has me.” But of course it did. She just looked at him with despair in her eyes. She walked slowly towards him as if she made one wrong move he would run for it. When she got into his arms he caressed her like a porcelain doll but with more affection.

Chapter 2
Goodbye For Now

Saying good bye always hurts. The feeling of his lips was still imprinted on hers though he left hours ago. Then she started to feel the physical ache from the longing within her. So she let the tears run down her already tear streaked face. Then Scarlete walked through the airport to get back to the entrance, watching all the pitied looks she got. She bent her head low so people would stop starring, but she could still feel their eyes penetrating her back.

Once she was in, the car she started driving in no real sense of direction. Soon enough she figured out were her subconscious was taking her, where it always takes her: to her mother’s.

Scarlete’s life had become a repetitive cycle. Jake leaves, then she blinks back the tears that threaten to overflow while she acts like a ghost, then goes to her mothers, and at last Jake arrives home safe and sound. Always, but can always last for ever.

Her mother, not surprised to see her, set a dinner for two: her and Scarlete. They used to have three, but her dad past away two years ago from a broken heart. Scarlete thought about him everyday, adding to her pain, but she knew that, at least, he didn’t hurt anymore. She still sees her mom cry when her heart finally overflows. Sarah, Scarlete’s mom, put all thoughts away when comforting her daughter. Sarah knows that she can’t make everything magically better, but a few comforting words help can sooth the pain in her daughters wounded heart. Both of them understand each other without even speaking because their bonds get stronger everyday. This is why Scarlete comes here, for the comfort of a friend but most of all a mother. Once Scarlete’s tears are nothing more than streaks down her cheeks, and her mother’s soft velvety voice gets drowsy from the night, she goes home. Her lifeless home. Is this her life? Being condemned to loneliness? Her only friend is the soft music that fills the air, from her own two hands playing the violin. At least the love of music isn’t bittersweet.

The first morning she woke up, the sweet scent of Jake didn’t fill her nose. The quiet was like death to her ears, but there was no other way of having it. She tiptoed across the wooden floors so they didn’t moan as much. Each creak sounded like someone was crashing a thousand symbols in her ears. When Jake left nothing was the same. Life seemed to drain out of Scarlete like the wet hot tears that pour from her already puffy eyes. Simple things seemed to take longer without him. Life seemed to take longer without him.

Chapter 3
A Scare

Her life repeated itself each time Jake leaves her to defend their country. She seemed bipolar, when he was there, she was extremely happy. When he was gone, she was depressed. Nothing could soothe her love sick heart except for the antidote, Jake.
Over the next couple weeks they saw each other minimally. When they did, they never stopped holding each other and loving each other. They never left each other’s side. When he moved she moved the same way. When she moved, the same happened to him.

Then he left again. June was coming around the corner, and Jake is halfway done with his term with the Corps. This fact soothed the pain in both their hearts, but no matter what, their hearts would always long for each other.
Today a sudden rush of realization crossed over Scarlete’s face. Her gut had butterflies filling to the brim of it. What she realized might be true, or might not, but either way her life would be changed. Scarlete was late. She hadn't realized that it had been over three and a half weeks since her last period. Could she really be pregnant? She and Jake should have been more careful.

Scarlete arrived at the local Walgreens. She went straight to the back where the pregnancy tests were and searched through them for at least ten minutes. When she found the right one, she brought two up to the cashier. Scarlete looked at the face of this young girl and thought of the child she could be bearing. She looked too young to be working. Her name tag said Jaimie Johnson but the name didn't fit the young girls face. Scarlete shook her head and came back to what she was there for. After she bought the tests, she went straight home. She didn't take the test right away, afraid of what it would say. She made an excuse to do it in the morning like it said on the test.

When she got up in the morning, she went straight to the bathroom. She forgot about the test until it was starring straight at her. She took a deep breath to prepare herself for the outcome. Many thoughts swarmed in her head, but she just pushed them out as fast as they came in and went on with it.

Ten minutes later they were ready. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply in and out one last time before she looked. When she saw the test, disappointment was bestowed upon her heart. She didn’t expect this reaction. Both of the tests were negative. She hadn't realized that she wanted to be pregnant. She wanted to bare a child within her. She threw them in the trash and left the room with one tear running down her cheek.

When Jake got back she was debating on whether or not she should tell and how. As dinner was being served she just said what she needed to say, ""I want to get pregnant."" When she said this Jake coughed on his spaghetti. He was looking at her, knowing why. She wanted a piece of him there with her, always and forever. So he said, ""Okay than let’s go home."" They paid the bill and left quickly.

Chapter 4
Like Daughter, Father

Whenever he came home they tried but every pregnancy test came out the same. Negative. It was already November and yet nothing happened. Scarlete knows that it takes a long time but still it felt like an eternity. This was Jake's last time going over seas to fight, and she knew that when he came back it would become easier to get pregnant.

As he left, Scarlete was already counting down the days until his return, when they would actually be together. His final deployment is supposed to take a month, so she started counting from there. 31... 31, 29, 28, 27. As the days passed, the pain lessened little by little in her heart. 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20. The same is happening in Jake's heart. 19... 16... 13... 9... 7....

On the fifth day Jake and his squad were following the others in their MRAP when all of a sudden the vehicle in front of them exploded. They knew others were coming to attack, but when and from what direction? They quickly got out. As soon as Jake was out the door he knew this was it. He felt slam him in the chest. He felt the ruby red blood trickle down his chest. Everything became so surreal.

Scarlete felt every moment of this, from the fierce fiery pain to the agonizing heart break. He knew he was dying. He could feel the pain of loss, from her, rush through him.

Their love showed in his last dying breath. The last thing to pass through his pale lips were, “Scarlete.” Then, finally, the last bit of life drained from his heartbroken body.